Dream Of You - Jennifer L. Armentrout Page 0,38
wasn’t sure I’d ever heard her giggle. “So?”
Glancing at the clock, I saw it was still early. I’d planned on cracking open the new manuscript I’d received, but wasn’t I supposed to start taking more time to myself? And besides, if I stayed home, all I would do is end up staring at my phone, engaging in wishful thinking.
“Okay,” I said, standing up. “Let’s do it.”
* * * *
It had been about a year since I’d been in Mona’s, and while the bar had a dive feel to it, it wasn’t a creepy place. Jillian and I took our own cars since she lived in the opposite direction, closer to the city.
The moment I saw Jax, I remembered who he was. How could I have forgotten? Even though he was a few years younger than me, he was the kind of man who gave off the vibe that said he knew how to take care of things.
He was behind the bar when I led the way to a table. Since Jillian was underage, she couldn’t sit at the bar. Jax had the greatest smile and laugh, which he handed out freely. Right now, he was laughing at something someone was saying at the bar. Tipping his head back and letting loose a deep, infectious laugh.
“You just want a Coke? Anything to eat?” I asked.
Jillian was scanning the heads bowed over one of the pool tables. “Nah. Coke is fine.”
There weren’t a lot of people at the bar when I walked over to it, so the girl behind it quickly came to where I stood. I knew who she was. This was Roxy—Reece’s girlfriend. As she drew nearer, I saw that she had a streak of color in her brown hair that matched her purple glasses. Envy filled me. I always wanted to have a wild color in my hair, but I didn’t have the face or the personality to pull that off.
Her shirt read I’m like a self-cleaning oven, and under it was a happy little oven, and then below that were the words I’m self-sufficient, bitches.
I wanted that shirt.
“What can I get…?” Roxy’s hazel eyes widened behind the glasses. “Hey, how are you?”
Shocked that she recognized me, I floundered for a moment. “Good. I’m good. You?”
“Great. I haven’t seen you in a while. Wow. It’s been forever.” She leaned against the bar, grinning. “I wasn’t even sure you still lived around here.” The door opened and a group rolled in, heading toward the bar. “What can I get you?”
“Just two Cokes.” I paused. “And a menu.”
Roxy nodded. “Coming right up.”
I glanced over at the table. Jillian was staring down at her phone, her fingers flying a mile a minute.
“I’m giving them another minute, and if he’s not out, I’m going in,” I heard Jax say as he reached around Roxy, grabbing a bottle of liquor.
“For rescue?” she replied, her brows raising as she scooped ice into two glasses.
“Hmm,” he grunted, screwing off the lid.
“I have no idea what’s going on there. I thought they weren’t together,” she said, placing the two glasses in front of me. She grabbed a menu as she looked over her shoulder at Jax. “He needs to hurry up anyways. Reece has already texted asking where his brother is.”
My heart stopped. They were talking about Colton. Holy crap. Okay, there was a tiny part of me that hoped he’d be here but also was terrified of the fact if he was, because then that meant he wasn’t at work. And he hadn’t gotten in contact with me.
And I hadn’t gotten in contact with him either.
And it didn’t sound like he was alone.
“Here you go.” Roxy smiled as she placed the menu down.
I numbly handed over the cash, and had just picked up the glasses, along with the menu, when I saw him.
He appeared on the other side of the bar, and even from where I stood, I could see that his jaw was a hard line. My heart started racing. I tightened my hands on the glasses. Roxy said something, but I really didn’t hear her.
Then I saw her.
The tall blonde I’d seen him with before. She was as gorgeous as I remembered. Hair shiny and straight, well past her shoulders, and she was thin. Like I would probably hurt her if I sat on her level of thin. Blood drained from my face as I realized who this woman was. In my heart of hearts I knew it was her, his ex-fiancée.
Oh my God.
“I